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CLIFFSIDE PARK, N.J. & KURUME, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pop Test Cortisol LLC, under the umbrella of the POP Test companies,
today announced pre-clinical trials in which the company has
successfully demonstrated the efficacy of a chemotherapy sensitizer for
“triple negative” breast cancer. These are the most difficult to treat
breast cancers, testing negative for estrogen-receptor,
progesterone-receptor and her-2/neu and are resistant to chemotherapy.

Org34517, first developed as a therapy for major depressive disorder,
was first formulated by Organon. In 2007, Org34517 was acquired by
Schering-Plough, then Merck, and ultimately acquired by Pop Test
Cortisol LLC in December of 2010.

For neuropsychiatric and other conditions, the drug is to be combined
with the Pop Test cortisol rapid response saliva diagnostic to determine
the patients with high blood and cortisol levels who are most likely to
benefit from using the drug. Org34517 has already completed phase 2
clinical studies for such neuropsychiatric use with proven human safety
and efficacy. Upon further development and investigation, Dr. Neil
Theise, Medical Director for the Pop Test companies and Professor of
Pathology and Medicine, internationally known as a thought leader in
chronic liver diseases, liver cancer, and adult stem cell research,
recognized that the drug could be used for wide ranging indications
beyond the psychotic major depression for which it was first created.

Dr. Theise's vision is that glucocorticoid receptor blockade by Org34517
is a way of changing some human cancers, such as some breast, liver and
ovarian malignancies, from chemotherapy resistant to chemosensitive.
With the collaborative assistance of Dr. Hirohisa Yano, Chairman of
Pathology of Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan,
additional studies are underway. Pop Test CEO Randi Altschul, commenting
on the development of Org34517, said “We are tremendously optimistic
about the potential for this game-changing drug in the lives of people
everywhere. We are in talks with major pharmaceutical companies
worldwide to partner in bringing this drug through the FDA development
process so that it can be commercially available to those who need it.”

Pop Test Cortisol LLC is part of the Pop Test group of companies. Pop
Test was founded in 2008 with the creation of the saliva based diabetes
testing platform planned for launch with Walmart in 2012. The company
has since developed a series of diagnostic platforms including the
saliva Pop Test devices and lateral flow diagnostics for biological and
agricultural applications. Pop Test has put together a world class team
for it’s expansion into drug development resulting in rapid discovery
and expansion of indications. Currently, the Pop Test Companies are
seeking relationships with major pharmaceutical companies to
commercialize our breakthroughs.

About Dr. Neil Theise

Neil Theise, MD is a diagnostic pathologist and adult stem cell
researcher in New York City where he is Professor of Pathology and of
Medicine at a major New York college of medicine. His research revised
understandings of human liver microanatomy which, in turn, led directly
to identification of human liver stem cell niches. Also considered a
pioneer of multi-organ, adult, stem cell plasticity Dr. Theise has
published on that topic in the top scientific and medical journals such
as Cell, Science, Nature, and the Lancet.
Additionally, Dr. Theise is an international authority on human liver
and biliary tract malignancy, recently serving as co-editor and
co-author of the World Health Organization’s newest edition of the
“Diagnostic Manual of Tumors of the Digestive Tract.”

About Dr. Hirohisa Yano

Hirohisa Yano is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pathology,
Kurume University School of Medicine (Japan). He received his M.D.
degree from Kurume University School of Medicine in 1983 and his Ph.D.
degree from Kurume University in 1987. From 1987-1989, Yano was a
Research Fellow at the Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Hospital in
Boston, Massachusetts, USA. In 1989, he returned to Kurume University
School of Medicine where he became a Fellow at the Department of
Pathology (1989-2002) before he joined the faculty as Assistant
Professor (1991-2002). He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2002
and appointed Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pathology in
2007.